Equal Access for Students with Disabilities

1. Equal Access for Students with Disabilities Karen Hanson, Disability Access Services (DAS) GTA Teaching Skills Workshop - PHHS, September 2011

2. Disability Access Services at Oregon State University • OSU’s commitment to equal access • Who we are • Who we serve • Providing equal access is a collaborative effort √ DAS √ Students √ Faculty/GTAs • How to refer students to DAS • Confidentiality • Accommodations • Questions

3. OSU’s Commitment to Equal Access Oregon State University is committed to providing equal opportunity to higher education for academically qualified students without regard to a disability. State and federal regulations prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability and require reasonable accommodation.

4. Who We Are • Disability Access Services = DAS • Tracy Bentley-Townlin, Ph.D., Associate Dean of Student Life & Director • Cindy Franklin, Student & Staff Support • Maureen Childers, Coordinator – Alternative Formats & Business Admin • Karen Hanson, Coordinator – Alternative Testing Services • Jennifer Gossett, Coordinator – Student Support Services • Jo Alexander, Program Manager – Deaf and Hard of Hearing Access Services • Haris Gunadi, Program Manager – Technology & Production Support Services • Gabriel Merrell, Program Manager – Virtual & Build Environments Access • Many, many amazing and dedicated student workers

5. Who We Serve729 = Number of DAS students in 2010-20111:33 = Ratio of DAS to OSU total enrollment

6. Equal Access is a Collaborative Effort: Role of DAS Determines accommodation eligibility based on student medical/psychological documentation from a qualified provider Communicates accommodation eligibility to faculty via email Collaborates with faculty to provide reasonable accommodations Provides education, training and consultation on accommodations and accessible course materials, websites, technology and adaptive devices.

7. Equal Access is a Collaborative Effort: Role of Student Once registered with DAS, requests accommodations each term Initiates conversation with faculty during first week of term Faculty can help by creating an open, welcoming environment

8. Equal Access is a Collaborative Effort: Role of Faculty/GTAs Watch for notification of accommodations email from DAS √ Email includes link to faculty and staff guidelines √ If further clarification or assistance is needed, contact DAS √ Faculty expertise and input periodically needed Statement in syllabus Accessible textbooks, course materials, handouts, and websites √ Consult with DAS re: accessible textbooks, prior to selection √ Consult OSUs IT Web Accessibility Guidelines Referring students to DAS

9. How to Refer Students to DAS If student discloses a disability, then refer directly to DAS If you suspect a disability Inconsistent academic performance Ask what services on campus students are connected with, offering examples like CAPS, Academic Success Center, DAS, tutoring… “Sometimes students who experience similar challenges have gotten help through DAS.” Avoid asking “Do you have _____?” Other students requesting accommodations √ For temporary illness and injuries (i.e. flu), and for English language learners, consult your department or lead faculty √ Other campus support services

10. Confidentiality All services through DAS are confidential Information concerning a student's disability should be disclosed only to those with a legitimate “need to know.” Please do not discuss a student's disability or need for accommodations in front of other students.

11. Accommodations: Testing Types of testing accommodations Extended time Quiet location Computer for word-processing , etc DAS proctors tests upon faculty request Student initiates online testing contract DAS needs 1-2 weeks advance notice If faculty/GTAs proctor tests, show student testing location in advance to avoid any surprises

12. Accommodations: Notetaking DAS pays students already enrolled in class for copies of their notes If we’re unable to identify a notetaker, we’ll ask for faculty assistance by: Making an announcement in class to recruit a notetaker Providing instructor’s lecture notes

13. Accommodations: Etext Faculty submits textbook information to OSU Bookstore If selecting a new book, consider these publishers first: Pearson Learning, Cengage, and John Wiley DAS provides Etext if not available from publisher Occasionally we ask faculty for a copy of your book to scan for student

14. Accommodations: Classrooms, Table & Chairs Classroom access/ relocation Tables and chairs DAS arranges with Facilities Please help keep furniture marked “DAS” in the classroom Coming this fall: electronically-tagged chairs in every general purpose classroom!

15. Accommodations: Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHOH) Captioning for classroom videos Faculty submits selected video titles to DAS For short videos, 1 week advance notice FM System Student brings microphone for faculty to wear Remember to take it off when you leave class Real time transcribing Live or remote Sign language interpreters Speak to the student, not the interpreter

16. Thank you! Questions?